Jax

I think those are two big if's.. A year ago they laid off a considerable number of contractors and making threats about RIF'ing civil servants. They've essentially killed all aeronautics research (the first A in NASA) and hard science missions because of the President's directive to go back to the Moon and then to Mars yet he hasn't given them any additional funding (in fact it decreased slightly). Maybe the money comes out of a fund earmarked just for this sort of stuff though, who knows. Anyway it's good for GRC to get any press coverage, it's something they've always struggled with.

^^ God I miss my Platinum Continental OnePass.. They actually treat you like a human being when you flash that bad boy.

Don't get me wrong, I really dislike being asked for money.. And it drives me nuts when I see somebody actually GIVE them money. Who does that!? But I just don't know how we can get off applying a double standard just because they're scroungy looking and asking for money. Spruce them up (well maybe not that much) and put a picket sign in their hands and it becomes a different social issue which the right to practice is vehemently defended. But I think it's the same basic concept at heart. Plus if it's bad enough to actually be driving off customers I think it most likely has graduated beyond just panhandling into something else. Either that or you've got some real candy ass customers :wink: PS I was hit up for money twice on my snowy adventure to Tower City today.. Now that's dedication to being lazy!

I just walked from E12th to Tower City and back. Talk about a winter wonderland adventure. It was great! PS, I really like the mural on the side of that food market wherever it is.

That's a valid point, X. I guess I personally am inclined to allow such solicitations provided they aren't setting up vendor space or somehow impeding foot traffic more so than any other person standing on the sidewalk would. If nothing else, it seems to me the government should have bigger things to screw up worry about.

Personally, I don't think it would be right to try to solve pan handling with legislation (I assume that's what you mean by a consequence oriented solution?) As depressing and frustrating as it can be, this is a democratic society we live in and fellow human beings basically have a right to be annoying.. Now what is often described on these types of threads goes way beyond simply annoying panhandling or even aggressive panhandling. I don't know the correct legal nomenclature, but barring someone entry into their vehicle and/or menacing them should certainly be addressed with the full weight of the law.

I've caught it on one of the Discovery channels a couple times actually, but never in a solid rotation.. It really is a great show. I love the one about the Toyota pickup that wouldn't die.

wouldn't bear traps leave a deeper impression?

If you settle on Cleveland Heights whatever you do don't live in the Boulevard View on Euclid Hts Blvd. My girlfriend lived there for two years and it was simply atrocious. The location is great though (Cedar & Fairmount). apartmentratings.com has a number of (in retrospect, humorous) reviews, one of which is hers. She only wished she had checked the site before moving in http://www.apartmentratings.com/rate/OH-Cleveland-Heights-Boulevard-View.html

Maybe they want to feed on the Melt castoffs? I was just there lastnight and will definitely be heading back, really tasty. Felt moderately bad for the 10+ people that were standing against the wall waiting for seats, though..

Yes, poor naming choice.. And claiming they're using “the most sophisticated technology on the planet” is.. well.. absurd. Clearly right off the bat they could use some serious help with PR/marketing. Such is life for 99.999% of startups I guess. Best of luck to them.

Yep.. Accessible from Tower City by walking down that hallway that shoots off between Godiva and Charlotte Russe.

Ah, I guess that's why there were balloons and people everywhere today while heading into my gym (Rezults, right next door to them). Too bad for me I missed the Cavs dancers. It would not shock me if they expanded -- those employees the hella motivated, type A+++ personality type. I get this just from hearing them talk in the elevators and watching the extremely high energy (and yes, perhaps slightly cheesy) meetings in the glass walled conference that faces our treadmills. Clearly these folks are doing a hell of a job, and it seems only natural to build on a good thing.

^ Right.. You'd think if there was an angle here "for the masses", so to speak even though I hate that phrase, it would be the $20M. Regardless if you think the building is nice (which I personally do) or not, that's just messed up. I can see the 19 Action News guys chasing commissioners around waving a microphone calling out "Even though Cleveland has been rated the poorest city of its size, you thought it would be okay to blow $20 Million dollars on unnecessary construction? Are you a terrorist?!!"

I just spent the weekend in Buffalo's Allentown and was really impressed. Lots of interesting food places within walking distance and there were lots of people milling about.. More so than Lakewood without a doubt. Everyone I talked to seemed to identify with Cleveland as far as the difficulties associated with retrofitting economies from industrial oriented to tech/bio oriented, but they all seemed highly optimistic. I should also say everyone was very complimentary of Cleveland, and they all seemed to think we were bigger than we are.

I agree the service was atrocious.. The food, eh. But the place was packed every time I walked by.

So it's pretty much decided to demolish it? That's really horrible in my opinion.. I suppose this is where people that support keeping it are supposed to come together and form a grass roots campaign to get media exposure and attempt to sway the machine. Any takers? I'd be willing to knock on doors to get signatures. I just have no clue on how to organize something like this.

Could someone perhaps do a quick recap of what the various scenarios are at the present time? I tried reviewing the thread and quickly got lost.. something about apes seemed to derail things? Also, is the 2011 timeline still valid?

^^ Yer not kidding about a lower brand, huh.. :wink: http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1170409395299160.xml&coll=2

I have to admit, I find Jackson's approach refreshing with respect to taking ultimate responsibility. Again, no mention of the "Downtown Service Unit" you brought up, KJP. http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1170324865208500.xml&coll=2

Hilton Garden Inn on Carnegie? Or is that some off-shoot and not count..

At last, I will be able to perfect my flying clothesline technique.

I imagine Bice will attract the higher ups from Sherwin Williams, Forest City and Quicken, all right around there.. Althought I'm still surprised Castaldi's didn't make it, so who knows. Anyway, this is all fantastic news.

Saw this PD article on cleveland.com this morning (too long to post) -- Inspectors refuse to use their computers Finding $60,000 worth of missing PDAs is not a priority, official says http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1170149823119120.xml&coll=2&thispage=1 This is the second extremely un-flattering article I've seen written about Cleveland's Building and Housing Department. I'm beginning to think either these folks are legitimately do-nothing bums or have the worst PR rep in history. Anyway, I'm not sure if this is a true statement or not but it seems conceivable to me that if we had competent inspections and code violation enforcement that we could potentially keep some buildings from getting "too far gone", and increase the probability of redevelopment instead of the slash & burn approach.

I was just in Buffalo and toured the F.L. Wright Martin house, where I learned about Buffalo's demo of the Larkin Administration Building (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larkin_Soap_Company). Talk about wanting to cry. You'd think events like this would learn us some moderation.